India is setting a global benchmark in maternal and child healthcare. As per recent reports, the country has not only met but surpassed global targets in reducing deaths related to pregnancy and early childhood.
According to the Sample Registration System (SRS) 2021 report, several Indian states have already achieved the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for:
✅ Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR ≤ 70 by 2030):
-
Kerala (20), Maharashtra (38), Telangana (45), Andhra Pradesh (46), Tamil Nadu (49), Jharkhand (51), Gujarat (53), Karnataka (63)
✅ Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR ≤ 25 by 2030):
-
Kerala (8), Delhi (14), Tamil Nadu (14), J&K (16), Maharashtra (16), West Bengal (20), Karnataka (21), Punjab (22), Telangana (22), Himachal Pradesh (23), Andhra Pradesh (24), Gujarat (24)
✅ Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR ≤ 12 by 2030):
-
Kerala (4), Delhi (8), Tamil Nadu (9), Maharashtra (11), J&K (12), Himachal Pradesh (12)
📉 India’s Decline Outpaces Global Progress
The United Nations Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-agency Group (UN-MMEIG) 2025 report revealed:
-
India’s MMR dropped by 23 points from 2020 to 2023
-
An 86% reduction since 1990, compared to the global drop of 48%
The UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2024) also noted:
-
Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) declined by 78% (vs 61% globally)
-
Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) dropped by 70% (vs 54% globally)
-
Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) fell by 71% (vs 58% globally)
🔑 Why Is India Succeeding?
India’s achievement is the result of strategic government interventions, including:
-
Ayushman Bharat: ₹5 lakh annual health cover per family
-
Free and respectful maternity care in public hospitals
-
Infrastructure boosts: Maternity Homes, MCH Wings, SNCUs, HDUs
-
Use of antenatal corticosteroids, CPAP, and newborn screening
Each year, these initiatives support over 3 crore pregnancies and 2.6 crore live births.
🧑⚕️ Skilled Healthcare at the Frontline
-
Emphasis on training midwives, nurses, and community health workers
-
Quality certifications and real-time digital health data tracking
-
Data-driven policy decisions and targeted interventions
India’s message is clear: healthcare is a right, not a privilege. And with continued progress, the country is well on its way to meeting—and exceeding—the 2030 global goals.
